St. Clair Historical Museum

08/28/2026

We're starting to gather the food for the Chili Cook-Off Contest and the Pie Supper Auction! We've got some cool prizes for the Chili Cook-Off and the humorous contests! Plus the bragging rights!

We are taking 15 entrants for the Chili Cook-Off. Maybe more later, if we get more people to sign up to come. You can sign up: (Name and phone number) at the Museum starting Saturday, or Route 66 This and That, or online at https://signup.com/go/iGymZVE

We are also looking for a count for people to bring baked goods for the Cake Walk and Pie Auction. Will have signups at the same places, except online at https://signup.com/go/sWGwSBg

You can also call and leave a message or text to 636 667 4162 or 636 667 0231. If you do this leave name, number and if it is to bring chili or baked goods. There is a deadline of October 16 to be in the contest (and get free admission for dinner).

You can just show up and bring some baked goods on October 24. Or drop off that day after 3 p.m.-- but we hope you can come join us for the fun. One year, someone even baked dog treats! But we'd like to know ahead of time so we will be sure to have enough on hand!

You can get tickets at either physical place, online via the flyer QR code, or call for a reservation and pay at the door. Again this is for planning-- walk ins to eat or bring baked goods are always welcome.

Hope to see you on October 24th!

08/20/2026

We're announcing our 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off Contest and Ozark Pie Supper for OCTOBER 24, 2026. Unlike last year, this will be chili weather!

This is our big Museum fundraiser for 2026. People who have come have asked us to "do it again" and so we are. We appreciate all the support St. Clair and the surrounding area gives us. See the flyer for ticket details. As we did last year, If you bring a pot of chili for the contest, you can get in free, but you MUST register (for free) with us by October 16, the previous Friday. This is for our planning purposes: last year people just "showed up" with chili and we had way too much!

Dennis Strothcamp has agreed to play music for us, and Rick Mansfield to be our MC--again! We appreciate their help.

So now-- put it on your calendar, and plan to come. We have three ways to get tickets--prices are the same as last year: $10 for adults, and $5 for children 6 to 12. Hope to see you there--this event is loads of fun for a great cause--to keep the lights on and the doors open at St. Clair's Historical Museum!

07/22/2026

Yesterday I got us some publicity from the My Leader Papers of Jefferson County at the UP 4014 Whistlestop: It goes from 22:00 to 26:00.

Enjoy. https://www.facebook.com/myleaderpaper/videos/1544658377203178

Send a message to learn more

07/18/2026

We have a crowd source request for our fans and followers: does anyone have a photo of the entire Hibbard Hotel? It was located at Main and now Hibbard Street just across from the tracks. The museum has a project we are working on about it. We have located one partial view, but having the whole thing would be much better.

If anyone does, we'd like to scan it at a high resolution for our use. You will be credited as the person with the image.

Thanks! (We'd post an image with this request--but we don't have one. Also still looking for a photo of the Traveler's Repose Tavern and info on the person for whom the town was named. Most 19th century sources say it was a civil engineer with the Southwest Branch of the Pacific Railroad, but we still have no first name or solid documentation on this. )

Send a message to learn more

07/16/2026

There is a St. Louis Cardinals themed basket and raffle going on to benefit the museum at Route 66 This and That. The raffle is open until July 31--the drawing will be that evening.

If you like baseball stuff, this is an ideal raffle for you! See the photos. We didn't do the rummage sale this year, And our next event will be the Chili Cookoff and Pie Supper on October 24.

Meanwhile--go by Route 66 This and That, and put a buck or two on this raffle! We appreciate all St. Clair does for us!

07/13/2026

Something positive for St. Clair!
When the St. Clair Historical Museum and the local Library branch cooperated on a Route 66 event on a very rainy June 13, we thought this was a great try, but the weather did not cooperate. I've been out of town a week, and came back to July 9th Senior Life/Times front page coverage of the panel discussion we facilitated with some of our seniors. On the panel, talking about Route 66, were Jerome Ritter, Tom Yoder, Maxine Scheske, Pat Prugh and Wanda Obermark, with some audience assistance from Patsy Starks.
Very nice article, including the map of US 66 through town I drew based on Max Scheske's recollections. The article is online (under a paywall) at the Missourian newspaper, but there are still paper copies out there on newsstands. No, I don't work for the Missourian, but hey--St. Clair gets a little recognition!

06/29/2026

The preliminary display “ Revolutionary War Veterans Buried in Franklin County, MO. is now available for your viewing pleasure. It’s not complete but I wanted something out before the 4th.

06/06/2026

The State Museum's "From Mud to the Mother Road" display is up at the museum. Tomorrow is a sneak preview--it will be up the entire month of June--(has to be returned June 30.)

This consists of 5 double-sided 8-foot tall panels, telling the story of Route 66. Places in Franklin County, including St. Clair and Pacific, are mentioned on the panels.

This display is part of the Missouri State Museum's traveling exhibits-- and didn't cost the Museum anything to display--just a trip to Jefferson City to pick it up, and then to take it back.

Please come by and take a look. It will also be there next Saturday-- the date of our Route 66 Centennial Cruise-in. Anyone with a classic car is welcome to come to the museum and boast on their car for four hours June 13 from 10 am to 2 pm. Museum members will be on hand by 9 a.m. to help cruise-ees.

05/26/2026

THIS SATURDAY June 13! This will be happening...Shine or Rain!

People will be outside the Museum at 9 a.m. to help direct cruisers to parking spaces.

(Ok--tornadoes or lightning storms...all bets are off, but we're being positive-- it's June in Missouri, remember?)

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW! GOT A CLASSIC CAR? COME BE PART OF The St. Clair Route 66 Centennial Cruise-in June 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Corner of SPRINGFIELD and MAIN.

Jo from the Museum here. In addition to the Car Cruise-In , PEOPLE with classic cars, especially 1926 to 1985 are VERY WELCOME to come and show off at the Ability parking lot, provided they stay with their vehicles. No fee. Just be willing to talk about your ride!

There will be a food truck, music, and free maps showing St. Clair Then and Now along Route 66, the routes it took through town, and the buildings still standing on Commercial Avenue.

In Addition for the month of June, the Museum will be hosting a traveling exhibit from the Missouri State Museum, called From Mud to the Mother Road.

We are very proud to be working with the St. Clair Library-- at 11 a.m. some of the more senior members who have spent their lives in St. Clair will be talking about what it was to live here in the heyday of US 66.

June 13 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. FREE Come join us and celebrate Route 66 in St. Clair.

05/10/2026

Thanks to everyone who commented on what was there before K&K Auto Sales! The museum learned a lot about the grocery business in St. Clair, and free map copies will be available on June 13.

Now....

The museum is looking for some person to help us make a repair to the 5x8 foot St. Clair diorama. This is the big case containing the Main Street of 1917 layout. This is the exhibit St. Clair firemen got out of the old museum in the middle of the night and saved on a flatbed trailer. The top is glassed over, and the side panels are plexiglass.

One of the side panels has popped out, and we'd like to put it back. Nothing was broken and we have the plexiglas panel. If you know how to replace a broken glass panel in a door, or a breakfront china cabinet, you are our go-to person!

It's probably not rocket science, but the current staff just doesn't know how to do this, what cement to use, or the procedure. Or if you can recommend a local company that does this work, that would be good, too.

If you can help us out, please call Carla Wulfers 636 667 0231 or Jo Schaper 636 667 4162 to make arrangements to look at it or come by the museum on Saturdays, 12 noon to 4 pm. We'd like to have it fixed before the car cruise-in on June 13.

Thanks!